hulbeet



P. F. HULBERT.

Carriage-Step.

' Patented Mar. 20, 1866.

lnventon' S e S S e n H W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

P. F. HULBERT, OF OHATHAM, NEW YORK.

STEP-BLOCK FOR CARRIAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,302, dated March 20, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, P. F. HULBERT, of Chatharn, in the county of Columbia and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Step-Block; and I do hereby delare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a novel arrai'igement of a series of steps and a platform at tached to any suitable base,to be used by persons when stepping into or out of carriages and when mounting a horses back, which steps and platform are so arranged that when not in use they can be folded into a compact shape, so as to be readily carried from one place to another; while, when opened, they will be sufficiently firm, strong, and rigid for the purpose for which they are intended.

In accompanying plate of drawings my improved block to be used in mounting horses, entering carrages, &c., is illustrated, Figure 1 being a central vertical longitudinal section through the same when opened; Fig. 2, a side view partially closed, and Fig. 3 a similar view to Fig. 2, but wholly closed.

A in the drawings represents the base plate or board of the step-block, made of a rectangular or any other suitable shape and material, and of the requisite length and width. To one end, a, of this base A, and extending nearly so across the width of the same, is hinged one end of a board or frame, I), the other end of which is hinged to one end of a horizontal platform, 0, secured at its other end,f, to and over the base by a frame, (I, hinged at each end, respectively, to the platform 0 and the base A, as explained, for the frame or board I).

To this frame (I, about midway of its length, extending outward from the end f of the platform 0 and across its width, is hinged a step, 9, hinged at its outer edge, h, to a support, 1, hinged, in its turn, to the base A of the stepblock,the' step y, when the platform 0 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, or the block opened, being intermediate between the two, thus enablin g a person to readily ascend the platform 0, a swinging arm or rod hung at one end to the upper portion of the rear connecting frame or board, I), for the platform, by which arm, when the block is opened, it is firmly held in position by bringing or setting its outer end against the raised lip q of the base of the block.

The platform and intermediate step, connected with the base A and with each other, as explained,when not in use are folded down and upon the base, coming into the box and compact form shown in Fig. 3, suitable strips r1" being secured both to the platform -base and other necessary parts to entirely incase it when closed, as plainly shown in the drawlugs.

The height which the platform, when the block is opened, will occupy can be made to suit the requirements of the case,it being only necessary to make the frames by which it is connected to the base A of suitable length or height therefor.

By means of a step -block having the general construction and arrangement described the entering into and leaving of carriages and the mounting of horses can be accomplished with ease, readiness, and comfort, the importance of which, especially to ladies, is obvious.

The intermediate step may be dispensed with if the platform is low when in a raised position, and if extremely high more than one intermediate step may be used; but I deem one sufficient, and in most, if not in all, cases necessary.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The step-block herein described, the same consisting of the platform connected with any suitable base by and through supportin gframes or legs at each end,and with or without an intermediate step, substantially in the manner and so as to be operated, as and for the purpose specified.

P. F. HULBERT. 

